Submarine-destroying trap.



LUIGI DAMICO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SUBMABINE-DESTROYING TRAP.

Application filed October 5, 1917.

,To @ZZ 'whom t may concern:

Be it known. that I, Liner DAiuroo, a subject ot' the King of Italy, anda resident o the city ot New York, borough ot' the Bronx, in the countyot the Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedSubmarine-Destroying Trap, oi' which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to a trap ot that type which embodies a submergednet with which submarines or surface floating era-tts may becomeenmeshed so that by means ot' a drag device an electric fuse circuitwill be closed so as to re orf a mine carried by the trap.

The invention has tor its general objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of traps of this character so as to bereliable and eiiicient in use, comparatively simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to set up in operative position in the water, and sodesigned as to more readily insure the enmeshing of a boat in the net ofthe trap if the boat comes in contact therewith.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a novelarrangement of vertically disposed nets carried by a buoyant structurefully or partially submerged in the water, the nets being so arrangedthat a submarine will become enmeshed therewith irrespective of theangle of approach, and by reason of the trap being caught on thesubmarine, a switch is closed to set off the mine.

Nith such objects in view, and others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth withparticularity in the following description and cl aims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of theinvention and wherein similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trap; and

Fig. 2 is a detail view circuit-closing switch 'for the mine.

Referring to the drawing, the trap is composed of upper and lower framesA an which are disposed horizontally and are in the form of the letter Hconsisting of parallel end bars 1 and a central connecting bar showingthe ignition the fuse that fires Specification of Letters Patent.

'froman end member 1 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 194,885.

2, which may be wooden poles or timbers. The body ot the trap is formedot end nets C and a central net I). Each end net extends ot the topframe A, corresponding to the end member 1, ot the lower frame B, andthe net D, which lies between the nets C, extends from the member Q ofthe top frame to the corresponding member 2 of the lower frame. In otherwords, the body of the trap is formed of two chambers opening inopposite directions, so that if a submarine or other boat should strikethe net by entering between the wings formed by the nets C, the trapwill become enmeshed or caught on the bow of the submarine and the wholetrap dragged along with it, and furthermore, if the submarine shouldstrike the sides of the trap formed by the nets C, the trap would becaused to follow along with the submarine.

Suspended from the trap is a drag device or anchor E, which normallyhangs vertically Jfrom the trap by means ot a cable 3 which winds arounda drum i and has a counterbalancing weight 5 of small mass compared withthe drag device E. The drum is arranged on a shaft G which extends intoa watertight switch box 7 supported on the lower frame B in any suitablemanner. In the switch box is a fixed contact 8 and a movable Contact 9which is operated by the drum shaft 6 through gears 10. In the switchbox may be arranged a source of current 11. Wires 12 and 13 connect thebattery and switch contact-s with a mine 14 suitably carried by the net,and in this mine is a suitable ignition device which is iired when thecircuit is closed by the contact 9 engaging the contact S. The tiringofthe mine is pro duced by a boat striking the trap and causing 'it to bemoved out of its normal position. The drag device E serves to resistmovement, and consequently the cable 3 turns the drum 4, which in turncauses the switch contacts to close the circuit.

Any suitable means may be employed to hold the trap in upright position.In the present instance weights 13 are suspended below the trap bycables 16, which pass through apertures 17 in the frames A and B, andthe upper ends otthe cable are connected with a floating beam (motherstructure 18. By adjusting the relative position of the float to thetrap, or the weights to the trap, the degree of subniergence of the .oneVside member l v getherwith the-device which I to have it understoodthat the trap'may be varied. The body of the trap is also connectedYwith the float 18 by cables 19.

In case it is desired to arrange the trap' close to the surface andstill prevent friendly floating vessels causing them to be dragged,guard wires or cables 20 may beV stretched across the top and bottom ofthe trap from the ends of to the other. These prevent the bow of a boatAtrom guards 2O nets C, and it the entering' between the side b ow of aboat strikes a guard wire, 'it will simply sway the trap to one side orthe other, or otherwise deflect it farenough to permit the boats to passthereover.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation willbe readily under` stood by those skilled in the artto which theinvention appertains, and while lI have described the principle ofoperation, to-

now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire device shown ismerely illustrative and `that such changes may be made when desiredrasfall withinthe Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

l. Trap of the class described comprising upper and lower frames, and aplurality of vertical nets connecting the frames,ysaid CopiesV o1' `thispatent may be pbtainedffor from strikingrv the trap andY mine carriedYbythe tra-p,

netsV being arranged in fixed angular relation to each other forenmeshing with a boat striking the net at any angle of approach. Y

2. A trap of the class described Comprising upper and lower horizontalframes of sform, aV pair of parallel nets theV corresponding' ends .ofthe frames togetherand a third net disposed centrally between therst-mentionednets in right-angular relation thereto and connected withthev frames. Y Y

3. ,A trap of the class described. comprising upper andy lowerframeseachcomposed ot a pluralityy of connected members arranged at an angle toeach other, and vertical nets. connecting corresponding frame memberstogether, whereby the nets are X- edly arranged atan angle to eachother.

4. A trap of the class described comprising upper and lower frames, eachcomposed of a plurality of' connected Vmembers arranged at an, angle toeach other, vertical nets connecting` corresponding frame memberstogether, whereby the nets are arranged at an angle to. each other,weighting means connected' with; the,V bottom of the trap, float meansconnected with theA top of the trap, a

a drag'device suspended from the trap, and a circuit closer arranged: onthe lower frame and. operated by the dragV device toiire Ithe mine whenla boat strikes and drags the trap. o

LUIGI DAMIoo.

ve cents each, hyaddwssing` the commissioner-.of Patents.Washington,',l?..0;-

connecting l

